1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a replenisher solution supply apparatus for a photosensitive material processor, and more particularly, to a replenisher solution supply apparatus for supplying a replenisher to a processing tank of a photosensitive material processor such as a film processor, a printer processor, and a like.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a photosensitive material such as a film or a photographic printing paper is exposed and then developed, the photosensitive material is conveyed to a series of processing tanks each of which stock a processing solution.
As the photosensitive material is being developed, the processing solutions stocked in these processing tanks adheres to the photosensitive material and thereby consumed. In addition, the processing solutions are oxidized by air and become fatigued. Thus, the replenishing solutions with the same compositions or more active compositions as or than those stocked in the processing tanks must be supplied.
Generally, a replenisher is produced by mixing a condensed solution with water. The produced replenisher is stocked in a replenishing tank. The replenisher stocked in the replenishing tank is supplied to a processing tank by a pump or the like. However, the process for producing a replenisher and stocking it in a replenishing tank is troublesome. Thus, improper replenishing solutions are often produced in an incorrect manner. To prevent such a problem, a cartridge type supply apparatus has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-55562). In the cartridge type supply apparatus, an old cartridge is replaced with a new cartridge in which a replenisher is stocked. The replenisher is supplied from the cartridge to a processing tank by a pump or the like.
However, in this cartridge type supply apparatus, when the old cartridge is removed and replaced with the new cartridge and then a solution delivery pipe is inserted into the new cartridge, it is necessary to prevent replenisher which remains in the solution delivery pipe from spilling on the floor. In addition, since the replenisher is pumped up by the pump or the like, the pump occasionally does not pump sufficiently, thereby stopping the supply of the replenisher.
In a supply apparatus which has a structure for preventing a replenisher from leaking out of a delivery pipe when replacing an old cartridge with a new cartridge, the supply of the replenisher in the new cartridge is troublesome or requires a special operation (as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 53-108335).
In these related art references, when an old cartridge is replaced with a new cartridge which stocks a replenisher, a sensor which detects whether or not the cartridge in use is empty is used. When the cartridge becomes empty, an alarm is activated. Thus, when the cartridge in use becomes empty, even if the process is being performed, the alarm is activated signifying that the empty cartridge must be immediately replaced with a new one. The process must therefore be suspended.
The present invention is made to solve such problems.